Adventures of a Soap Maker

Yesterday, I decided to get motivated and make a few of my best sellers…. Crystal Cluster Gemstone soaps!

I typically made just one of the Amethyst and within a week or so, it would sell. So in examining my vast collection of crystals and stones, I decided to expand beyond just making it as an amethyst.

Making these clusters can be quite time consuming and I started this project at around 10am and finally pulled the last of the three out of the mold some where around 5pm.

Following is a explanation of the clusters I made.

Amethyst is the birthstone for February babies and one of the semi-precious stones for a 33rd Anniversary gift. Amethyst is considered to be symbolic for spirituality, divine connection, wisdom, sobriety, healing, and security.

The element for Amethyst is wind, and the 6th – 8th chakras.

Citrine is symbolic for hope, health, happiness, strength, and prosperity. It is the birthstone for November babies and one of the semi-precious stones for a 13th Anniversary gift.

Citrine’s element is Fire and the 1st – 3rd chakra is also associated with this beautiful stone.

Celestite or Celestine is symbolic for balancing energies, calming, harmonious, and for bringing clarity of mind, and clear communication skills. Further, celestite is a subtle expander of one’s consciousness to co-create with the celestial realms.

Its element is Wind and the 3rd eye, crown, and upper realm chakra is associated with this angelic like stone.

Celestite is not a traditional birthstone for any month; but is associated with both the sign of Capricorn and Gemini.

You can find these at my website store or my ArtFire store.

Tutorial…

White Sage Clusters

There are so many things to say about the sacred herb “white sage” that is used by people from many walks of life. From the Native American people, who use white sage for purification of their homes and sweat lodges; to new age people who use white sage for purification, protection, and to clear their space of negative energy.

White sage is also used to clear one’s self of negative energies that includes the negative energy of thoughts either by smudging (or embodying oneself in the smoke from burning white sage leaves to bathing with white sage by adding it to your bath water.

I have taken the body purifying use of white sage and incorporated it into my Sacred White Sage soap. By incorporating into my soap, you can either bath or shower and still receive the benefits of the white sage.

While bathing or showering, simply visualize all negative thoughts and energies being released from your body, mind, and spirit and visualize it being taken down the drain into the water and earth to be charged and purified by nature back into positive energy.

I make a ritual of burning sage incense while showering with my Sacred White Sage soap and visualizing all of the accumulated negativity washing down the drain and leaving the air. It amazes me how much lighter and positive I feel once I am finished.

You can find my YouTube video of making Sacred White Sage here.

Yesterday, a fellow soap maker and Facebook friend did a rant (her words) about the use of essential oils on pets.

I had to agree with her that there are a lot of people, including vets, recommending various essential oils, without full knowledge of the effects it can cause for pets, the elderly, and pregnant women.

One popular essential oil that I personally have in my arsenal of skin blemishes is tea tree.  BUT, tea tree should NEVER, LET ME REPEAT NEVER be used on our precious kitties.  It is toxic and will in time kill them!

I am a trained and certified aromatherapist.  I was first trained in 1998 by Jade Shutes who headed the Institute of Dynamic Aromatherapy and again in 2011 as a refresher course through The East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies.  Again, headed by Jade Shutes.

OK, where am I going with this?  Back in November 2010, I posted a blog on one of my selling venues.  But I think it bears repeating here – again!

Before we get into the use of essential oils in our soaps, let’s have a little chit-chat about some of their uses and cautions.

There is a difference between essential oils and fragrance oils.

Essential oils are generally made from the distillation of the actual plant itself and are highly concentrated.  Some of these essential oils can be quite pricey due to the quantity of the plant and/or its parts needed to make the essential oil.  As an example, it takes approximately 60,000 rose petals to produce 1 ounce of pure rose essential oil.

The molecules of essential oils are so tiny that they have the ability to penetrate the surface of the skin and enter the bloodstream.

If you have allergies to certain plants, using the essential oil of the plant will produce the same allergic affects.

Fragrance oils on the other hand are copied and synthetically produced.  Some fragrance oils may or may not have any of the plant material as part of the process.  Fragrance oils are a good substitute for obtaining the aromatic results you may be looking to achieve without the high cost.  And when you consider that for the most part, the soap containing the fragrance oils sits on the skin for a short period of time, any of the benefits of the true essential oil goes down the drain with the beautiful bubbles.

The molecules of fragrance oils are not small enough to penetrate the surface of the skin and therefore they are unable to enter the bloodstream, with the exception of cuts or abrasions.

In regards to essential oils, there are certain precautions I do like to take.  And here is one of them.

Pregnancy: Although some aroma-therapists argue that a more diluted mixture of EO (essential oil) and carrier oil is safe; I tend to error on the side of caution, and advise against a few EOs if you are pregnant.  Especially in the first and second trimester.

The following list, includes, but is not limited to all of the herbs and essential oils that are classified as “EMMENAGOGUES” which are herbs that promote menstruation, usually causing it to occur either earlier or with increased menstrual flow when it is scanty.  This means it can cause the fetus to abort in the early stages of pregnancy.  You should also avoid the following herbs if you are considering pregnancy.  This caution should also apply to large quantities of the herbs itself.  When in doubt, consult your physician.

I have listed both the common name as well as the Latin name, as all herbs are not created equal.  When working with these herbs and essential oils, look for the Latin name.

Please don’t panic when you read some of these herbs.  The caution is intended for large quantities.  The amounts used in cooking is small in comparison.  But again, consult your physician with any questions or concerns.

*These herbs are also classified as abortifacients: They may cause a pregnancy to end prematurely or causes a non-surgical abortion.  During the first five weeks of pregnancy they act to block the action of progesterone so that the uterus sloughs off the embryo.

Abortifacients are strong, powerful herbs and should only be used for short periods of time. They are hard on certain body organs such as the liver and kidneys if used for prolonged periods of time.

Essential oils should never been taken internally.  You know the drill!  Consult your physician for advise.

Please feel free to copy this information.  Although it took quite some time to accumulate it, I wish to educate people, especially women, on the uses of essential oils and herbs.

In a typical leading laundry “detergent” you will find a list of the following ingredients: Biodegradable surfactants (anionic and nonionic) and enzymes.  Folks!  This is not soap! And the suds you get are the results of the surfactant chemicals.

Laundry “soap” from The Soap Magician contains: distilled water, saponified olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, sodium carbonate (washing soda), sodium borate (borax), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).  In plain English, this is soap!

You won’t find any suds because there are no harsh surfactants.  And believe me; it’s not the suds that are doing the cleaning.  Not on your clothes and certainly not on your skin either!

With commercial laundry detergents, you generally need to add fabric softener.  With my laundry soap, there is no need to add any fabric softener.

Being a soap maker, I have left over pieces and after a while, there are a lot of left over pieces.  So one day I decided I would grate some down and toss a bit in my traditional top loading machine.  The first time I did my laundry as usual, by putting my fabric softener in the little ball and tossing it in the machine as well.  The clothes came out extremely soft and so I decided to try it without fabric softener the next time.  And to really test it – I did towels and sheets.  The cap is on the fabric softener for good!

There is very little difference in the cost between using commercial laundry detergent plus fabric softener and handmade laundry soap, but it is so much friendlier to the environment and isn’t that what it’s all about?

The Soap Magician Laundry Soap is unscented, but you can add any of your own fragrance if you prefer.

Directions: Use one (1) tablespoon per load for front loading HE washing machines and two (2) tablespoons per load for traditional top loading machines.  Use one (1) tablespoon for small loads in a traditional top loading machine.

Each 8.0 – 8.3 oz bag will wash 13 – 26 loads.  You can find it at my website!

I absolutely love the aroma of exotic and expensive essential oils. Maybe that’s why I decided to become a Certified Aromatherapist through East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies, formerly known as the Institute of Dynamic Aromatherapy headed by Jade Shutes. So there is her plug!

The beauty of essential oils is the ability to create a synergy of aromatic and beneficial effects.

I decided to take my love of aromatic plants and put it to good use by creating a soap that also has some very special oils like Avocado oil, Macadamia oil, Shea butter, and Lavender butter. Sound good so far?

It get’s even better! I’m sharing my recipe for my Tranquil Peace soap for anyone who wants to give it a try.

This makes a 2 pound loaf of soap. And always remember to run this through your lye calculator. I use “Soap Maker 3” because it has everything you could possibly want for creating and costing your soap making.

You can find the recipe and instructions on my YouTube Channel.  You can also purchase it at my website.

Sometime ago, I decided to try my hand at making soap cupcakes… pastry bag and all.  I was even brave enough to post it on Youtube.

It seems I lack in the pastry department because my frosting was more of a drizzle consistency.  But that’s OK, after all it was my first attempt at trying anything where a pastry bag is concerned.

They are ready for their unveiling today.  And since it was my first attempt, but not my last. There are 5 of them on my website and they need to find good homes.  (Drum role please.)  I’m listing these at $1.00 on my website under the $1.00 Store.